


The Moon Is Beautiful, Isn't It?

by soonuwus



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Beaches, Fluff, M/M, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soonuwus/pseuds/soonuwus
Summary: 月が綺麗ですね | tsuki ga kirei desu ne: literally "The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?" A Japanese phrase that was translated to English by the author Sosuke Natsume, meant to be another way of saying "I Love You."(Soonyoung lives and breathes Wonwoo's greatest fear, and he helps him overcome it too)





	The Moon Is Beautiful, Isn't It?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic for SoonWooNet's Summer Fic Fest! I wanted to write something set at the beach, because I have always lived near the beach and feel a deep connection to it, so here it is!
> 
> I have many friends that have helped me in writing this work, but Samantha (@heaukage on twitter) has been an absolute angel and is such an important mentor to me when it comes to writing. I would like to dedicate this piece of fiction to her, as well as a nameless person who helped inspire me.
> 
> A huge, warm thank you to all my friends who helped proof and gave comments on this fic for me during the process. I love you all!!

Wonwoo had always been a homebody. He preferred to spend his days indoors, reading books and playing video games. If he ever ventured outside, it was to one of his favorite coffee shops or parks with a good novel in hand, and he rarely mingled or met people. Often, though, he would much rather spend time at home cuddling on the couch with his beloved cat, Yuseong.

His closest companion of the bipedal variety was Jihoon, whom he had known since early childhood. They became fast friends through their mutual love of video games and their many indoor, solitary hobbies. Jihoon played music and loved to just laze around with his guitar while Wonwoo read. They both loved to write, so the two often shared their lyrics and poems with each other so they could critique each other’s work. They had a quiet, steadfast friendship. They knew each other better than anyone else.

Once it came time for college, Jihoon and Wonwoo decided to find an apartment together. They had both decided that they couldn’t survive with any other roommates. They knew that they were the only ones who could respect each other’s privacy, and that they could count on each other to pull their own weight and keep things clean. It was a good arrangement, somewhat dull at times, but they were both used to that. The pair preferred to live in quiet contentment, avoiding any kind of discord or excitement. All was right with the world.

That was until Junhui came into the picture. Jihoon met Junhui in his psychology class during their fourth semester of college. People like Jihoon and Junhui would never meet any way otherwise, but they were paired up for a project and had to exchange numbers. They sat next to each other all semester and eventually, Jihoon had become smitten. Wonwoo had never seen anything like it as long as he’d known the guy. Jihoon was glowing, and Wonwoo knew he just had to meet the person responsible.

So Wonwoo got to meet Junhui, and Junhui was the last person Wonwoo would have ever expected Jihoon to fall for. Jihoon invited him over for ramyeon and a movie night, one of the pair’s many pastimes.

Wonwoo answered the door that night to meet a tall, well-dressed man with caramel brown hair. He wore a fitted, striped silk shirt which was tucked neatly into his black, straight leg jeans. His brown eyes were bewitching and his soft pink lips curled into a delicate but smug smirk. He was almost  _ too _ perfect looking.  _ Where did Jihoon find this immaculate creature?  _ Wonwoo wondered.

“Hi, you must be Wonwoo,” the man said, reaching out to shake Wonwoo’s hand. Actually, he just grabbed Wonwoo’s hand instead of waiting for him to offer it.

“Yes, that would be me,” Wonwoo answered, somewhat put off by Junhui’s seemingly forward nature, “Come in,” he finished, stepping aside.

Junhui just came to their dumpy apartment for a movie night, but he looked fashionable enough to be at some fancy bar or something. Even with only Wonwoo as his audience, he strode in like he owned the place (not that owning a place like theirs would be any huge accomplishment).

An uncharacteristically enchanted Jihoon finally emerged to greet the man with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The trio chatted over cup ramyeon and watched  _ Kingsmen,  _ because it’s Jihoon’s favorite. Junhui spent most of the movie making comments and giving his two cents on the plot and the acting.

He was outgoing, talkative, and dignified. He was a sweet-talker. He seemed like someone who knew how to make anyone fall in love with him, whether it be a server in a restaurant or the kid sitting next to him in class. Maybe that’s why Jihoon did.

From that night on, Wonwoo often became their third wheel. Junhui joined them to play Super Smash Brothers and for their weekly movie nights. Wonwoo was somewhat surprised to find out that Junhui was well read, and they even shared some favorite novels, such as Haruki Murakami’s  _ Kafka on the Shore _ . That’s how he won Wonwoo over ( _ Damn it _ , he thought,  _ I knew he would eventually.. _ ). He wasn’t sure how Junhui found the time to go out and charm the universe while he had such a vast knowledge of literature, movies, and video games, but that was just one of his many mysteries. Wonwoo wasn’t terribly shy, he was just reserved and preferred to keep to himself. Rather, Junhui enjoyed sharing his jubilation with the world.

So Jihoon went out more often. Most couples revel in the time they get to spend in solitude together, but Junhui was a “the more the merrier” type of guy. Everywhere they went, he invited Wonwoo out. After a while, Wonwoo felt rude for so often declining Junhui’s unbelievably warm invitations. On this particular sunny morning, it was becoming hard for Wonwoo to ignore that feeling.

“Ohhhh Wonwoo,” Junhui crooned as he waltzed through the kitchen into the living space, clad in board shorts, a muscle tee and a pair of sunglasses. He found Wonwoo on the couch, still in pajamas, wrapped up in a blanket.

“Why are you all cooped up inside on a day like this?” Junhui asked teasingly.

“I just got this book and I was really enjoying it, so I was just gonna spend my day off reading it,” Wonwoo raised the book up for Jun to see.

“Ahh, I’ve read that one. Why don’t you come to the beach with us and I can tell you all about it?”

Wonwoo shuddered a bit hearing that dreaded word… The beach. 

“Oh… no, that’s okay. I uhhh.. actually had some laundry to do anyway. I should probably stay in.”

Just as Wonwoo was trying to deflect Jun’s invitation, Jihoon emerged from the hallway, also dressed in beachwear.

“Oh, don’t even bother, Junnie. Wonwoo doesn’t like the beach,” he says.

“What?” Junhui said as he sat down next to Wonwoo, prepared to interrogate him, “How could you not like the beach? The salty air, the hot sun, the tan you’ll get! Don’t you wanna enjoy your summer?”

Jihoon sat down on Wonwoo’s opposite side, sandwiching Wonwoo between the couple. 

“Wonwoo’s actually afraid of the ocean,” he stated matter of factly, looking straight at Jun and speaking about Wonwoo as if he wasn’t sitting right next to him. 

Wonwoo knew after hearing that, Jun would never let him hear the end of it. The taller man gasped, and then he just stared at him with a taunting look of satisfaction and wonder on his face. 

Wonwoo felt embarrassed, as he always did when people heard this secret of his.  _ It’s not the most absurd thing to have an irrational fear of,  _ he always thought. 

People are deathly afraid of spiders and heights, why is it ridiculous to have a fear of the largest body of water on earth, the one that consumes our planet despite the fact that we have only explored about five percent of it? The ocean is filled with tons of strange creatures, most of which Wonwoo is allergic to, and some of which the world  knows absolutely nothing about. Still, it always made Wonwoo feel childish and vulnerable, like this fear was something he should have overcome by now. He has lived only fifteen minutes from the shore his entire life, yet he has only been in or near the ocean a handful of times.

Jun and Jihoon shared a minute or so of silent, candid eye contact while Wonwoo contemplated his fear. Jihoon was trying to convey to Jun that Wonwoo was sensitive about his fear, and not to press him about it. Junhui can surely tell that by the way Wonwoo seems to have collapsed into himself like a child, knees up to his chin, brow furrowed, and lips slightly pursed in a frown that Jihoon knows to be Wonwoo’s  _ lost in deep, dark thought  _ face. Jun, however, is not dissuaded by Jihoons begging eyes.

“Wonwoo.. We wanna hang out with you! It will be fun, the beach is huge anyway. You don’t have to go anywhere near the ocean! Besides, you can bring your book with you and read while you get a tan. I love to read on the beach. You’re looking so pasty…” Jun trailed off, voice kind and filled with good intentions. Sure, Wonwoo was distrustful of him at first, but he had found Jun to be one of the most sincere people he’d ever met. He was actually surprised at how well they got on. Jihoon was clearly happy that his best friend and his boyfriend actually had a lot in common.  _ Damn it,  _ he thought. Why did Jun have to be so persuasive? He was nearly impossible to say no too. Wonwoo swore he had never heard that word once in his life. It was not a part of the man’s vocabulary.

“Okay…” Wonwoo said, a slightly bashful look on his face. Junhui had sure learned how to butter him up. “But only because you said I can read..”

“That’s the spirit! It will be fun,” Jun said, patting him on the back. “It will! I promise. Besides, I’m friends with the lifeguards. They’ll protect you from the big, scary ocean!”

Jihoon knew Jun was pushing his luck with that comment, but Wonwoo had already agreed, so he ran to his room and dug through his closet for a bathing suit. He had one that he would wear to go swimming at his aunt’s house. He  _ could  _ swim. Everyone assumed he couldn’t. He didn’t mind pools, rivers, or even smaller lakes. The ocean was just… too much for him. He shuddered at the thought of it, but he had to press on.  _ This will be fun,  _ he told himself. He emerged from the bedroom in his swimsuit, with his book and a towel, and with that, the boys were off.

 

_ Daylight _

 

Wonwoo winced as his bare feet made contact with the burning hot sand. He hadn’t been to the beach in at least two years. He stopped, stepping backward onto the cooler boardwalk as Jun and Jihoon pressed on ahead of him. The two took pause when they realized they were one short, and Jihoon turned back to find Wonwoo looking tentatively at the ocean in the distance.

“Come on, Wonwoo,” he said smiling at his friend, “You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah! We got you,” Jun said, jumping and urging him to follow them. So he did.

They found a spot to set up camp further back on the beach, a good distance away from the ocean. Jihoon complained that the sand was hotter there, but Junhui, ever the optimist, was perfectly content.

“I love the feeling of the hot sand,” he said as he buried his feet in it. He always was able to find the silver lining. Wonwoo smiled as he laid out his towel, feeling supported, trying to keep his mind off of the vast, bluish expanse at the foot of the beach. He buried his face in his book, as he would in any situation. He read  _ The Picture of Dorian Gray,  _ and endured interruptions from Jun as he pontificated about the way Oscar Wilde portrays the philosophy behind decadence and aesthetics in the novel. Wonwoo secretly enjoyed Jun’s elaborations, though. While reading the book, he could see why Jun liked it so much. It reminded Wonwoo of him.

Jihoon, of course, was toting his ukulele. When Jun saw that he’d brought it along he wouldn’t stop spewing about how damn cute it was, and Jihoon blushed. He played random songs while Junhui serenaded him, and in no time, Wonwoo was too distracted by their foolishness to read. He nearly died of laughter when Jun finally persuaded Jihoon to play Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” so he could “serenade his beloved boyfriend properly.”

Their fun was interrupted when a very intense looking guy with longer black hair and bangs that hung over his dark eyes came rushing up to them. He was one of the lifeguards, and he barreled toward the eldest yelling “Junhui!” The two embraced lovingly and began speaking to each other in Mmandarin. Wonwoo always forgot Jun was an international student from China since his Korean was so good.

“How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you around lately! We didn’t have any classes together last semester,” the dark-haired man said enthusiastically.

“I’ve been good. It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve seen you, man! I want you to meet someone,” he said, motioning to Jihoon, “This is my boyfriend, Jihoon, and his friend Wonwoo. Guys, this is my friend Minghao, from China.”

Minghao shook Jihoon’s hand and bowed politely at Wonwoo with a sweet smile. Wonwoo waved and smiled back.

“Is Soonyoungie working today too?” Jun asked Minghao inquisitively.

“Yes,” just then Minghao turned to a shorter lifeguard standing a short distance away, “Soon-ah!” he yells, “Come here! Junnie’s here!”

The shorter man turned to face their group. He wore the standard lifeguard uniform, red board shorts and a t-shirt that clung to his small, yet fit frame. He had wispy, dark hair that fell just around his expressive eyebrows. His skin was a perfect golden shade, sunkissed and dewy. His eyes were intense, but not in the same way as Minghao’s. They almost seemed to sparkle. They were smaller, and Wonwoo noticed how they squished into thin slivers when his cheeks plumped up as he smiled. Wonwoo also noticed his plump lips, which curled so delightfully around his big teeth. He had such a nice smile... Wonwoo almost thought his teeth were cute, if that’s even possible.

“Jun!” The shorter man sing-songed as he rushed toward Jun, nearly tackling him onto the hot sand. They shared a song of boisterous laughter as they embraced each other. As the man let go of Jun, he immediately looked on at the two strangers in front of him as if he were eager to learn their names, and Wonwoo felt himself gulp slightly.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me, you rude piece of shit?” the man asked. Junhui looked almost vexed, as if this was the only person he knew who was too much for him to handle. Wonwoo couldn’t imagine what a person who could have that effect on Jun would be like, but if he was as handsome and exuberant as this man, then…  _ Well, God help us all. _

“Wonwoo, Jihoon, this is Soonyoung. He’s the most ridiculous fucker I’ve ever met,” Junhui stated matter-of-factly. 

Jihoon rose to shake Soonyoung’s hand, saying, “Wow, that means a lot coming from Jun.. Respect, bro.” Soonyoung opted for a fist bump instead, to which Jihoon obliged.

“Jun… is this the cute talented twink you never shut up about?” Soonyoung asked curiously. Wonwoo watched what he knows to be a somewhat angry blush spread across Jihoon’s face, and he can tell he wished he could rescind that fist bump.

Soonyoung laughed heartily at his own joke as Jun snickered and rolled his eyes. He then, walked over toward Wonwoo, who could  feel himself panic just a bit.

“Sorry, I’m not quite sure I got your name,” Soonyoung said, a slight smirk spread between his plump cheeks. Wonwoo could see the slightest bit of his teeth, and yes, that definitely  _ was  _ a sparkle in his eyes.  _ Fuck.  _

By then, Jun had moved onto catching up with Minghao and bragging about Jihoon’s musical talents and exploits as he wrapped an arm around the shorter man. Soonyoung had breezed past the group and remained ever focused on Wonwoo.  _ Why in hell would he want to do that?  _ He felt  like minutes had passed before he could muster any sort of response to the charming man.

“Wonwoo,” he finally said to the sparkling gaze and bright smile in front of him.

“Wonwoo..” Soonyoung echoed, reaching out to shake his hand. Wonwoo enjoyed the way his name rolled off the other man’s tongue. His voice felt as sweet as honey.

“I hope I’ll be seeing more of you, Wonwoo!” Soonyoung beamed as his eyes receded into slivers amid a sweet giggle, his charming smirk fading into a toothy smile. Wonwoo nodded as Soonyoung bid goodbye to the group to head back toward the lifeguard stand.

All this time, Wonwoo hadn’t even noticed that he couldn’t hear the ocean anymore. Since Soonyoung focused his gaze on him, the ominous  _ swiisssh  _ and  _ craaassh  _ of the waves in the distance seemed to be silenced by the captivating man in front of him and his honey-sweet voice.

 

_ Twilight _

 

Wonwoo was close to finishing his novel as he looked up to find Junhui and Jihoon beginning to pack up their stuff. They had just taken one last swim in the ocean together. They packed as Wonwoo stayed firmly glued to his beloved book.

“Hey, Wonwoo,” Jun said, waving a hand in his face. “You change your mind? Do you like the beach now? It’s because of me, isn’t it. I’m the best!” He answered his own question with a self-assured smirk, “But, hey, we’re gonna head out now. You coming?”

Wonwoo, quite frankly, was still reeling from that interaction from earlier on. He propped himself up on his towel and looked around. The beach, once filled with tourists, had nearly emptied. The lifeguards were even packing up, except for Soonyoung, who sat perched atop the now horizontal lifeguard stand. He hadn’t really noticed all that had changed around him. Ever since Soonyoung had talked to him, it was like the outside world could run wild and Wonwoo wouldn’t notice.

“Come on, Wonwoooo,” Junhui pressed. He followed Wonwoo’s incredulous, uncaring gaze to find it was fixed upon none other than Soonyoung. Unfortunately for Wonwoo, matchmaking was just one of Junhui’s many hobbies. Wonwoo turned to face Jun, realizing he had been caught. His face was painted with a bright, knowing smirk, almost taunting the younger, more reserved man in front of him.  _ Oh no..  _ One does not have to know Jun well to know when the man is up to something.

“Ohh, Soon-aaaahh!” Jun yelled toward the lifeguard stand. Soonyoung jerked his head around and hopped to the ground. He approached the small group, and Wonwoo braced himself for however Jun was about to embarrass him.

“What is it, Jun?” Soonyoung asked.

“Soon-ah… Jihoonie and I have been dying to go on a nice, private date for a while now, but see.. We brought Wonwoo to the beach today because we needed to get him out of the house. You’d think his limbs would have atrophied by now if you saw the amount of time this guy spends on his couch… Anyway! I know you like to stay after your shift and surf. Would you mind driving him home for us? He reeeaaally wants to sit on the beach and finish reading.”

Other than the rude and uncalled-for comment Jun made about his laziness, Wonwoo wasn’t even too pissed about this arrangement. He smiled quietly and hoped for Soonyoung to agree.

“Of course! No problem,” Soonyoung said, already turning to go finish cleaning up the lifeguard equipment. “Wonwoo, when you’re done reading maybe we can go for a walk!”

“Thanks, buddy! I owe you one!” Jun called after him. Then, he turned to Wonwoo.“And now  _ you  _ owe  _ me  _ one,” he teased, hands placed precariously on his hips and that pursed lip smirk of his that he always wears when he feels cocky. Wonwoo couldn’t help but laugh.

So Jun and Jihoon finished packing their belongings and headed off to their “date” (which Wonwoo had a feeling would really just be a movie night at the apartment with takeout for dinner since the pair rarely had the place to themselves). Wonwoo just sat and read. He was one of the lone beachgoers left. In between paragraphs, he looked up to find a dad flying a kite with his son and a woman with her dog playing catch. Eventually his eyes drifted toward the lifeguard stand, but he saw no sign of Soonyoung.

His eyes finally traced the dip in the sand to find the man he sought, perched atop a surfboard out in the middle of the ocean. He sat, watching the ocean’s wake like a hawk, looking for an opening or an opportunity. Wonwoo rarely acknowledged the overwhelmingly vast body of water that sat along the shore, but spending a whole day a hundred feet or so from the beast had gotten him a bit more used to it. He listened to her roars, which now sounded more like a gentler  _ inhale, exhale _ . If he stopped listening to the screeches of the gulls nearby and the whistle of the crisp wind, he could almost hear his heartbeat in time with the ocean’s song.

He kept his eyes fixed upon the lone surfer, the only brave soul who dared delve into the belly of the beast today. Wonwoo thought surfing was absolutely insane. He could not imagine why anyone would choose to pit themselves against a force of nature. He watched Soonyoung move into attack position, belly against the board beneath him and arms paddling frantically to turn himself toward the shore. Wonwoo focused as closely as he could because he could tell he was about to watch magic happen.

He watched the edge of Soonyoung’s board catch the white wave as he tried to hoist himself onto his feet. He was victorious, riding out the the great white monster for as long as he could manage to tame the beast. By now, Wonwoo had become so intrigued that he had moved closer to the edge of the beach so he could properly watch Soonyoung. As he got closer, he could see the look of determination in his eyes as he fought to keep his balance atop his board. His efforts were admirable, but after a couple seconds his board was ripped out from beneath him by the beast and he hit the water with a  _ CRASH,  _ one that seemed to match the sound of the wave hitting the shoreline.

Wonwoo watched him burst out from the water, expecting to see a look of disappointment or annoyance on his face. Instead, Soonyoung met his eyes and let out a wail, throwing his hands into the air victoriously. Even from this distance, Wonwoo could see his eyes squinch into perfect little slivers and his cheeks puff up as his smile filled his face. He had never seen someone react so triumphantly to a fall, almost as if he relished in the moment the wake had swallowed him whole.

Soonyoung finally emerged from the water after a couple more attempts. Only now did Wonwoo seem to realize that he had just been sitting by the lifeguard stand, watching him the entire time.

“Never seen anyone surf before?” Soonyoung asked, carrying his board and shaking the saltwater from his hair.

“N-No..” Wonwoo stammered and felt his face turn hot. He struggled to explain his gawking. There was no explanation to it, other than that he found Soonyoung absolutely captivating.

“I honestly don’t come to the beach often. I’ve only seen people surf a few times. The ocean has always scared the shit out of me, so I never understood why anyone found it fun to try and fight against it. To swim out into this huge, vast, angry, unpredictable swell and try to conquer it just seems..” he trails off, eyes finally meeting Soonyoung’s, “insane to me.. I guess..” He felt kind of stupid trying to explain himself to the other man.

“Trust me, it’s not that deep..” Soonyoung said, jamming his board down into the sand, “Well.. actually.. The ocean IS that deep..” 

Wonwoo couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous pun he made.  _ If his sense of humor is really as cheesy as mine, then this is a match made in heaven. _ “Everyone seems to think that surfing is all about ‘taming’ or ‘beating’ the ocean at its own game. A lot of people go out there, whether they’re surfers or swimmers, and they think they have to predict the ocean’s movements and be one step ahead of the tides,” he lectured as he leans against the lifeguard stand next to Wonwoo. “Really, though, it’s all about respect. Surfing, especially, is about learning to be one with the ocean, to go with the flow.”

“I never thought of it that way…” Wonwoo admitted, his gaze moving from the man next to him to face his fear in front of him.

“I think a lot of people think it’s stupid, but I’ve always been afraid of the ocean ever since I was a little kid,” he began.

“Nothing in particular caused it.. It was almost the idea of it that scared me more than anything else. This vast, uncontrollable expanse that covers our entire planet… Most of which we know nothing about. I guess I just never got over that…”

“Well, I like to think of it as a huge, vast force that connects us… rather than separates us, if that makes sense,” Soonyoung responded, trying to interrupt Wonwoo’s staring match with the shoreline. Wonwoo finally turned to meet his eyes.

“That does makes sense, actually,” he nods and smiles, “you have a way with words, Soonyoung.” Wonwoo watched Soonyoung flash him one of his signature smiles in response. At that moment, Wonwoo became suddenly aware of the change in scenery around them. They noticed the sun setting in the distance. He saw that Soonyoung’s face was bathed in shades of pink and orange, and he felt it fit him perfectly. Wonwoo felt as though he had never learned to appreciate the beauty of the setting sun until that moment.

The two eventually packed up the rest of their stuff and headed for the parking lot. Soonyoung put his board in the trunk and turned to face Wonwoo.

“You know, me and some of the other lifeguards are having a bonfire on the beach next week. There’s no better way to warm up to the beach than spending some time there at night. Will you come?” he asked somewhat bashfully.

“Sure,” Wonwoo smiled, “I’d love to.”

“Awesome!” Soonyoung’s face lit up even brighter than the sunset. Wonwoo couldn’t tell if his cheeks were flush or if the sky had just painted him in pinks and reds.

The two got into the car and Soonyoung started the motor. The radio clicked on to one of the local top 40 stations. Soonyoung bopped his head to pop songs as Wonwoo gave him directions to his apartment.

A familiar song came on, and Soonyoung let out a wail reminiscent to the one he breathed to celebrate his first wipeout of the night. “I love this song!” he yelled, rolling the windows down.

Watching Soonyoung sing along to SHINee, albeit somewhat offkey, hair flitting wildly in the wind. That was when Jeon Wonwoo realized he wanted this man in his life forever.

_ Dusk _

 

Wonwoo was sure that he wouldn’t trade meeting Soonyoung for anything in the world. Even if it meant that Junhui would halt his relentless teasing, he still wouldn’t give up that one thing.

Of course, this also meant he was forcing himself to spend more time at the beach since the object of his affections spent 40 hours a week there, possibly even more.

Over the course of that week, Wonwoo was beginning to see things in a new light. The sound of the ocean’s roar, the one which once haunted his nightmares, had turned into a symphony of soft crashes and swishes. The sound reminded him of Soonyoung’s soft sighs, the ones he breathes when he feels utterly contented and even blissful, which he so often does.

The feeling of the hot sand had begun to remind him of Soonyoung’s skin. It seemed impossible for someone to have skin like Soonyoung’s. It was rough after being battered by the ocean and shone upon by the brutal sun all day, yet his hands still felt incredibly soft. Wonwoo discovered this on one particularly lovely trip to the beach, in which Soonyoung grabbed his hand and tugged him down towards the shore, insisting that a nice sandbar would be the perfect cure to his fear of the vast ocean.

Wonwoo pondered these things as he wrote in his journal on a cool Friday night. He sat on his living room couch, scribbling short lines and phrases as they came to mind. Soonyoung always occupied his mind while he wrote, nowadays. He wondered how he ever wrote anything before he had met him. Sure, he found plenty to write about back then, but he felt as though his passion for poetry and words had been reinvigorated by this encounter.

It was 7 pm. The sun was quite low in the sky, about to be swallowed by the horizon any minute now. On the carpet in front of him sat Junhui and Jihoon, playing a few final rounds of Mario Kart before they went off to the beach bonfire that Soonyoung had invited them all to last week.  
“Writing another sonnet, Wonwoo-ah?” Junhui asked teasingly. By now, Wonwoo had become almost immune to Junhui’s taunting remarks. He just snickered and continues scribbling.

“No, but really.. You two seem to be hitting it off so well. It’s awesome. I hope you make a move soon!” Junhui responds to Wonwoo’s silence as he throws another banana peel right in Jihoon’s path, thwarting his kart and sending Mario flying. Junhui was able to speed into 1st place, beating Jihoon in three out of their five rounds.

“I win, Jihoonie! Looks like you’re buying the beer tonight,” he said, giving the smaller man a peck on the cheek and rising from his cross-legged position on the floor to head for the hallway.

“Wonwoo,” Jihoon turned to his roommate and spoke in a matter of fact tone, “All of Junhui’s teasing aside.. We are really happy for you.”

“It’s not that big a deal, Jihoon-ah. Soonyoung and I are just enjoying getting to know each other for now..”   
Of course, Jihoon could always tell when Wonwoo was being reticent. He shot Wonwoo a dubious gaze, as though he could see right through his paper-thin facade.

“Okay… So I like him,” Wonwoo admitted, still facing Jihoon’s piercing gaze which was now partnered with a knowing smirk.

“I like him a lot..” Wonwoo said bashfully, almost as though he was admitting it to himself for the first time. Maybe he was.

“So tell him!” Jihoon proclaimed as though it was the obvious solution.

“I just.. Don’t know if it would be too forward. We’ve known each other for a week..” Wonwoo begged to differ, finding any excuse he could.

“So what?” Jihoon said, “Jun had me wrapped around his finger the second I turned to see him sitting next to me.”

Wonwoo shot him an incredulous look.

“I know that doesn’t sound like me at all, but sometimes one person changes everything for you,” Jihoon asserted. Wonwoo developed a spacy glint in his eyes, and his friend could tell he was deep in thought.  

“By the way, please don’t tell him I said that. He doesn’t need his ego stroked any harder,” Jihoon said flippantly, briefly snapping Wonwoo out of his pensive state as he chuckled over Junhui’s brash attitude.

“Jihoon, I just don’t know if you understand..” Wonwoo finally responded to his best friend, becoming serious again.

“I’ve never felt anything like this for another person in my life. It’s like… We just click. It’s different than our relationship. We know everything about each other because we’ve been friends since we were in diapers,” Wonwoo sighed, thinking about how naive and childish he must sound.

“But with Soonyoung, it’s like… he sees right through me. He just understands me. We just met but I feel like I’ve known him for an eternity.”

There was a thick silence as Wonwoo trails off. Jihoon finally pipes up after clearing his throat.

“Gosh, Wonwoo.. I always knew you were romantic and poetic and all that shit but…  _ Damn..”  _ Jihoon teased him with a laugh. Wonwoo flushed a deep red and buried his face in his hands. His roommate moved to the couch to comfort him.

“Wonwoo.. I completely understand. Honestly, that’s how I felt when I first met Junhui. You and Soonyoung are just mushier than we are,” he said, choking back laughter as Wonwoo further withdrew. Jihoon rubbed his back gently.

“You just have to tell him how you feel. Bottling it in won’t do you any good. You’re already an introspective mess. Besides, I’ve watched you two together. Junhui has too! He knows Soonyoung. He knows you, and he wouldn’t encourage you if he thought you would get hurt.”

“But how am I supposed to tell him?”

“I don’t know, Jesus…” Jihoon laughed.“You’re Jeon fucking Wonwoo. Future poet laureate of the Republic of South Korea!” he exclaimed triumphantly. “You’re goddamn charming, man. You’ll find the right way, I promise.”

Wonwoo smiled modestly at his best friend. Jihoon always knew how to make him feel confident in himself. Jihoon gave him a pat on the back.

“Now go get ready, loverboy!” Jihoon said jokingly. Wonwoo rose and headed to his room to change, a newfound confidence pushing his shoulders up and back, the same way the moon always kept the tides at bay.

 

Jihoon rolled up to the parking lot of the beach in his station wagon, Wonwoo and Junhui in tow. Wonwoo sat in the backseat, nervously twiddling his thumbs. The driver and his passenger turned to check on their friend.

“You ready, heartbreaker?” Junhui inquired. Luckily, Wonwoo was too focused on his nerves to give in to Junhui’s goading, so he responded with a confident nod.

The trio approached the beach. As they came up past the dunes, they spotted a bright, orange glow in the middle of the huge empty beach. The glow of the fire flickered like a lonely firefly dancing in the dark blue night. They made their way toward the bonfire and as they approached the rest of the party saw them in the distance, calling out and greeting them.

Junhui rushed over to greet Minghao with a bro hug. Jihoon shook hands with Minghao, as well as two other men, one tall and handsome and the other shorter and somewhat burly. They were all still dressed in their red board shorts and white tanks and tees, as well as Soonyoung, whose eyes gleamed brighter than the bonfire when they found Wonwoo.

He rushed past the other men toward Wonwoo and drowned him in a warm, soothing hug.

“I’m soooo glad you came, Wonwoo-ah!” Soonyoung told him, swaddling him with his soft arms. Wonwoo smiled into Soonyoung’s shoulder as he felt all his nerves melt away at the soft touch he basked in.

Soonyoung introduced Wonwoo to the others. The tall, handsome man was Mingyu. He was Minghao’s boyfriend and fellow lifeguard. He gave Wonwoo a firm handshake and a slightly crooked smile. Seungcheol was the burly man, and he greeted Wonwoo with a bro-hug.

“It’s awesome to finally meet the famous Wonwoo that Soon-ah has been rambling about,” Seungcheol laughed as he punched Soonyoung in the arm. Wonwoo had to wonder if it was just the reddish-orange hues radiating from the flames, but he could have sworn he saw Soonyoung blush when Seungcheol mentioned him.

The men cracked open the beers Jihoon brought and settled around the fire once they had all said their hellos. Mingyu and Seungcheol asked Wonwoo about his writing  since they were both interested in literature and poetry themselves. Mingyu loved to write stories while Seungcheol rapped and wrote verses. He dreamed of becoming an idol-rapper one day, he said, and Wonwoo was sure he’d be the perfect candidate for the job. He was incredibly charismatic and had a handsomeness that shone brightly whenever he spoke of his passions. Mingyu was quieter, but he had a classic elegance about him. He talked to Wonwoo about his love of movies and books and they discussed their favorites.

While Wonwoo got to know Soonyoung’s friends, the other sat and discussed dance and music with Minghao, Junhui and Jihoon. Eventually the whole group sat around the fire throwing out their favorite pop-hits from their childhood days as Seungcheol played their requests on the speaker he’d brought. Wonwoo couldn’t remember the last time he had this much fun in a group of people. His earlier nerves seemed non-existent. He finally gained the courage to move and sit next to Soonyoung. They sat and talked about their favorite summer songs from their younger years. Soonyoung had cited SHINee’s “View” as his favorite.

After a good hour of chatter, Seungcheol tried to quiet the group and raised his beer bottle.

“I’m glad we could all get together tonight, new friends and old, I’m happy to know you all. Happy Birthday, Soonyoung!” he toasted as everyone cheered for the birthday boy and took gulps from their beers.

Wonwoo turned to Soonyoung and shot him a befuddled look as the man gulped down the last of his beer, seemingly trying to ignore the fact that he’d never informed him that the bonfire was to celebrate his birthday. He caught Wonwoo’s sharp gaze out of the corner of his eyes.

“What?” he lilted through a chuckle, holding Wonwoo’s gaze with his own lustrous eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?” Wonwoo quavered, a hint of regret in his tone. He shifted his gaze downward as he felt the nerves flood his body again. He realized he and Soonyoung were quite close. As he shifted his weight, he felt his foot graze the other man’s.

“I would have loved to get you a gift,” Wonwoo lamented through a bashful smile, trying to ignore the heat rushing to paint his cheeks in tones of pink.

Soonyoung slowly moved his own hand to caress Wonwoo’s, which lay on the bench beside his thigh. Soonyoung cupped Wonwoo’s hand with his soft fingers, and made small, sweet circles on his palm with his thumb. Wonwoo took this as a sign to raise his eyes toward the other man once more, and he was glad he did.

“You came,” Soonyoung said through a soft smile as his eyes squinched and shimmered brighter than ever. His face was alight with the glow of the fire and Wonwoo thought he looked breathtaking as he finished his thought.

“I couldn’t ask for a gift better than that.”

 

The group had become somewhat inebriated as the night went on, so Seungcheol went to the lifeguard’s cabin and grabbed the sleeping bags he kept there so that they could crash on the beach. Mingyu and Minghao were the first to retire, dozing off in one sleeping bag with their long arms wrapped tenderly around each other. Junhui and Jihoon lay in their own sleeping bag, drunk and giggly as Jihoon attempted to spoon the much taller Jun, receiving much playful taunting from his partner as he failed to do so. Seungcheol just fell asleep on the bench and Soonyoung noted how utterly  _ Cheol  _ that was of him, explaining to Wonwoo that even though he was the eldest in their group, he never quite grew out of his frat-boy ways.

“I’m not tired yet.. So I’m gonna go for a walk,” Soonyoung proclaims, standing up and stretching his tired limbs, which ache despite his racing mind, “Wanna tag along?”

Soonyoung lead Wonwoo by the hand toward the ocean. Wonwoo had loved the idea of a walk, but he began to protest when he realized Soonyoung wanted to walk along the shore.

“Wonwoo-ahhh, come on,” Soonyoung keened, drunk and rapturous despite the clock ticking onward toward 2 AM.

“It won’t bite, I promise… and besides, I’ll protect you.”

Wonwoo watched an auspicious, toothy smile spread across Soonyoung’s face. His smile glinted in the moonlight and that was all the reassurance he needed.

Wonwoo thought Soonyoung looked gorgeous in every shade, at any time of day. Whether he was bathed in the brilliant pink and orange of the sunset, or swimming in the dark blue shade of nightfall, only lit by the faint sparkle of the moon, Wonwoo knew he never wanted to look at anyone else. He felt like he could follow Soonyoung through night and day, through thick and thin, and everything would be alright as long as his hand was clasped tightly around his own.

They got to the shoreline and Wonwoo hesitated to touch the seafoam with his toes. Soonyoung was understanding and didn’t pressure him to come closer. They walked a safe distance from the shore, but Wonwoo could feel the cold, wet sand against the pads of his feet, and the new feeling excited him.

“Thank you for being so understanding about my fear. Most people think it’s dumb and childish,” Wonwoo said, twiddling his fingers and trying to calm his nerves once again. He couldn’t tell whether his nerves were due to his proximity to his greatest fear, or his even more alarming proximity to whom he now understood to be the man of his dreams.

“Don’t mention it,” Soonyoung consoled him as they walked, “I’ve been lifeguarding since I was like, sixteen. I used to work at the community pool and teach swimming classes. Tons of kids are afraid of the ocean, and I’m sure plenty of adults are too.” He spoke in a tone that was deadly serious. One who might not know Soonyoung may have read it as taunting, but Wonwoo knew he was often sincere.

Wonwoo smiled at Soonyoung and wondered what he did to fall ass backwards into meeting someone so perfect.

“Do you have any fears?” Wonwoo queried.

“I don’t know if my fears are as concrete as yours.. In fact, I wish they were,” Soonyooung spoke earnestly, the conviction in his tone dissipating into some unsure feeling Wonwoo couldn’t quite pinpoint.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, for instance, with dancing… and even surfing.. I’m a huge perfectionist. I tend to beat myself up over the tiniest mistakes. Sometimes, I practice  _ too _ much or overdo it and end up making more mistakes,” he explains.

“I guess you could call it a fear of failure…” his shoulders slink a bit as he acknowledges this, his usually larger-than-life posture dissolving into an unsure shrug.

Wonwoo puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“The important thing, Soonyoung, is you don’t let your fears get in the way of you living your life. You get back up, even if you fall or wipe-out or fail. When you fell off your board the other day, I would have never guessed you felt upset or like you failed. You put on a brave face and climbed back on…” 

Wonwoo stopped in his tracks and faced the beast in front of him. He noticed how her calls and roars had gotten louder, but they’d turned into soft sighs and mewls whenever Soonyoung was around. He turned to face the other man and shot him a confident smile after thinking through whatever it was he was trying to say.

“And you’ve inspired  _ me  _ to do the same.”

With that, he took off toward the shore. He felt the cold foam envelop his ankles and the wet sand swallow his toes. Soonyoung called after him, but it was too late, Wonwoo fell face first into the wake. He caught himself, sinking his fingers into the wet sand, but he received a face full of salty foam as the tiny waves washed over him.

“Wonwoo! Are you all right?!” Soonyoung rushed forward and grabbed the taller man’s shoulders but just found him laughing heartily, covered in wet sand and choking a bit on saltwater.

Wonwoo splashed Soonyoung. Soonyoung just  pulled him by the arm up to his level, his grasp on the other’s wrist not wavering, as though he were holding onto a life preserver for dear life under a harsh tempest.

“You scared me, Wonwoo-ahh..” Soonyoung mewled, splashing the other man back weakly with his foot.

Wonwoo had been searching for the words to tell Soonyoung how he felt all day, but the right ones didn’t dawn on him until he saw the man’s lips pursed into a slight frown beneath the moonlight. He remembered an old Japanese phrase he read in one of his favorite novels, and thought,  _ fuck it. _

“The moon is beautiful,” he said matter-of-factly, not taking his eyes off of Soonyoung’s, “Isn’t it?”

Soonyoung’s worried expression vanished from his face and his eyes began to sparkle with utter bliss from the realization of what Wonwoo had just said.

He pulled Wonwoo into his embrace by his wrist and planted a soft, sweet kiss on his lips. Their kiss became wrought with passion quickly as the waves crashed around their legs. Their lips crashed together like the waves meeting the expectant shoreline. 

Wonwoo had never set foot in the ocean before this night, but as he drowned inside Soonyoung’s kiss, nothing could pull him out.

 

_ Dawn _

 

Wonwoo awoke to the harsh screeches of gulls, the gentle  _ swisshh  _ and  _ crassshh  _ and  _ siiigghhh  _ of the ocean, and a gentle hand squeezing his arm. He turned on his side to find Soonyoung, flush against him and sharing his sleeping bag. He remembered collapsing onto the sand with him after a heated makeout session and an attempted midnight swim, but he was sure he had to be dreaming. Apparently, he wasn’t. He smiled brightly at this realization and was met with Soonyoung’s own bright grin.

He looked around and saw that the sky was awash with muted blues and hot oranges. He saw the sun rising in the east beyond the skyscape in the opposite direction of the ocean. Soonyoung was painted in cool tones that reminded him of the morning sea.

“Morning, Sunshine,” Soonyoung quipped, “Sleep well?”

“I slept the best I could ever imagine sleeping on sand,” Wonwoo retorted.

Soonyoung laid his head back down to look up at the sky and its soft morning clouds. Wonwoo once again found himself lost in deep thought.

“So…. You like me?” he fretted.

“No,” Soonyoung replied, tone thick with sarcasm, “I made out with you because I can’t stand you.”

Wonwoo laughed, trying to shirk off his anxiety.

“Wonwoo-ah,” Soonyoung said, propping himself up on his side and gently lifting Wonwoo’s chin with his hand, “You say you’re afraid of the ocean, but I think you’re actually afraid of the unknown. Makes sense, right?”

Wonwoo nodded, always so baffled by how Soonyoung could read him like an open book.

“We know so little about the ocean, as you said.. We know so little about life, really. There isn’t much we can be sure about. I’ve spent most of my life feeling as fickle as a leaf in the wind…” Soonyoung gazed into the distance, as if pondering what to say next, “But there is one thing I do know for sure.”

“What’s that?”

“I want to be with you, Wonwoo-yah,” Soonyoung said, hand moving from Wonwoo’s chin to the hair at the nape of his neck. Wonwoo responded with a chaste, gentle kiss. He could feel Soonyoung smile against his lips which caused his to upturn as well.

The pair lay there a bit longer, savoring the simple moment, waiting for the sun to rise up in the blue sky and lay kisses upon their cheeks. They could not wait for the sun to do that though, so they took it upon themselves.

“I need to wake the guys up so we can get ready for work,” Soonyoung lamented, “but I’ll see you later?”

“Of course,” Wonwoo responded. Soonyoung planted a wet kiss on his forehead. As strange as it seemed, he wanted to keep the echo of Soonyoung’s lips on his head forever.

He watched Soonyoung run to wake up Seungcheol so that they could head to the lifeguard’s cabin and grab the supplies they needed for work. Soonyoung turned back to wave goodbye to Wonwoo as he ran into the distance, blowing him a kiss.

Wonwoo got up and walked toward the remnants of the fire so he could grab his backpack. He searched through it until he found his journal. He took the journal and his favorite pen and walked to the edge of the beach, the part where the sand dips down to lead you toward the foamy shoreline. He closed his eyes and listened to the gentle hum of the morning sea. Then, he opened them, opened his journal up to a fresh page, and wrote.

 

_ I was so afraid of drowning _

_ Until I bathed in your oceans _

_ I dove into your kiss _

_ Your lips crashing into mine _

_ Like waves meeting the shoreline _

_The wake that I thought_

_Would swallow me whole_

_Instead, gently rocked me to sleep_

_The moon that pushed and pulled the tides_

_Pulled you toward me too_

_Now I'm sure I can face my fears_

_As long as I have you_

 

**Author's Note:**

> I was kind of in a hurry to post this for Soonwoonet's summer fic fest, so it may be a bit sloppy.  
> Normally poetry is my strong suit but the poem at the end was definitely a bit rushed!! I apologize for that.  
> Comments, Corrections, and constructive criticism are all appreciated!!!
> 
> FELLOW SOONWOOS: if you want to follow me on twitter you can find me @soonuwus! Shoot me a DM :) lets talk about fic and AU ideas together!!


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